Santorini Hotels
 

We are going be in Santorini for 3 nights June 21-24, 2007 to finish off our honeymoon in Europe. We are flying to Santorini and would like to stay in either Fira or Oia. We are willing to spend about $300/night, possibly slightly more, but are looking for the most romantic, nice place that we can get for that price. Any suggestions? Many thanks in advance.

Check out the Honeymoon Suite at Anastasis Apartments www.anastasisapartments.com/, lovely!

Tere~

You are rubbing salt in the wound! ;-) We had our hearts set on Anastasis Apartments, they are such a steal, but, of course, they are already booked for our dates! Thanks for the recommendation though. Any others?

Brotherleelove2004, a poster who is very knowledgeable about Santorini often recommends Lava Oia Traditional Houses.

True, but my most favorite of all in Oia are the Aspaki Suites at www.artmaisons.gr. I haven't seen the Oia Castle yet, it wasn't open in 2005, but the owner's decorating style is spectacular, fun and traditional all rolled up into a fantastic ball! Hopefully I'll be staying in one of these next May.

Atlantis Villas in Oia. We stayed there for our honeymoon almost 10 years ago. It is awesome.

http://tinyurl.com/vrk3n

Desiree:

Already booked for your dates?? I am sorry to hear that! Hope you are able to find another beautiful place.

Stefcar,

I believe Atlantis Villas is now Kirini. We stayed there in May 2005 when the Katikies Hotel Group just took it over. Originally it was called Katikies Suites, but now Kirini.

In any event, I do believe Atlantis does not exist and Kirini is in its place. It is well over the OP's budget.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! For a honeymoon, I would choose Oia over Fira any day of the week. Fira gets so many cruise ship passengers that it can get really busy and that's not the romantic atmosphere you're looking for. Depending on how you arrive, you can get a cab to Oia (about 20€) or a bus (1.50€). The bus is very easy, btw. It's about 25 minute journey along the road which gives the most glorious views of the terraced fields below.

If you can possibly stretch, I would book Esperas Hotel. The location is simply stunning. You will arrive in a dusty carpark and be met by a very nice man who will carry your luggage to the hotel (they don't use donkeys!!). You follow him, twisting and turning, walk down some stairs and then you are met by the most amazing view!! Esperas faces a narrow stretch of water where ships come and go. We spent hours just reading, gazing and drinking wine.

All the rooms are different. You could afford a studio but if you can stretch to a Traditional house, that would be better as the studios are a little cramped. They do have a couple of honeymoon suites but I'm not sure they are worth the extra cost. The decor in the hotel is rustic - this is not super duper luxury. You are paying for the view and because of the location of Esperas (it's way down the end of Oia and off the beaten track of most wandering tourists), it's really private. The hotel does not allow small children so it's great for a honeymoon!

I'll second the recommendation for the Aspaki suites in Oia. Our suite was large and comfortable with a private terrace with an incredible view of the caldera. It is in the middle of the village but has to be the most private house in Oia because it sits out on the edge of the cliff. The view is glorious and unobstructed.

Thanks to all for your input. I think we've narrowed it down to the Esparas Traditional Houses in Oia (thanks for the recommendation endlessummer!) and Artemis Villas in Imerovigli. Artemis Villas are considerably cheaper, but I believe this is because there is no bar/restaurant at thier hotel and I believe that it is not really that close to much else? Is this correct? Is Esparas close to the village of Oia? Are there plenty of restaurants/bars in Oia, or should we be looking for a place closer to Fira? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Don't know about Artemis, but did stay at Esperas in Sept. There is a bar and restaurant on site. It is also about a 10+ minute walk to town. I wouldn't stay in Fira. We went there to take a boat trip and after the calmness of Oia, Fira was very chaotic and I couldn't wait to leave. There are lots of people in Ia when the boats come in, but at Esperas you far enough out that you can avoid them

Oia is small. Esperas is IN the village, at the end that looks out to the sunset. The higher cost at Esperas stems from their location, popularity, room quality and services. Oia has plenty of excellent restaurants, but only a few mellow bars. If you want dancing and more of a "club scene" you're better off staying closer to Fira. Although Oia is only 7 miles from Fira, the road is tricky at night and the taxis get scarce after midnight.

Imerovigli is about 2 KM from Fira and it's an uphill walk, so if you plan to do some late-night partying, keep that in mind when deciding where to stay. Fira or Firostefani might be a better fit for that.

You might like the Loucas Hotel:

http://www.greekhotel.com/cyclades/s...lucas/home.htm

We stayed last summer at The Katikies
in Oia. It could not have been more beautiful. The private dinner in The White Cave at the hotel was incredibly memorable,For a honeymoon Oia is the spot

Okay, I think that we've ruled out Artemis Villas in Imerovigli due to its location, so we are still seriously considering Esparas Traditional Houses in Oia, but we are also looking at Athena Repose, which I believe is close to Fira. Any feedback between these two? We're not looking to get crazy at night, would just like a good selection of restaurants and shops to browse through.

Oia has many excellent restaurants including 1800, Candouni, Ambrosia & Nectar, Katina's Fish Taverna, Pelekanos, Skala, Thomas Grill, Petro's, Laokasti and Neptune. There are lots of high-quality shops for art and clothing as well as several souvenier shops throughout the village.

From their website Athina Repose looks very nice. It's right in the heart of Fira down the cliff away from the crowds so it should be nice and quiet there. The reviews on www.tripadvisor.com are favorable.

WE want to stay in Anastasis Apartments in SAntorini, but I've sent three emails requesting a reservation and they haven't responded. Help!

If it's that important to you, call them.

O11-30-22860-25508 or 22577

Someone wrote about a lodging in Oia with many pools that wrap around the hillside...Which one is that? I lost track.

Thanks!

I think you must be mistaken. Property is so valuable in Oia that no one would use so much of it for a group of pools when they can build rooms to generate income. Perhaps they were seeing pools from several different properties in close proximity to each other and thought they were all part of the same complex.

But if I'm wrong I too would sure like to know where this place is located.

Can you suggest a nice affordable place in Oia with a great view from the pool? I was certain someone wrote on this website about a place with 4 pools, and my hubby and I can't comprehend how they could how they could do that either, but it sounds neat!

Oia is lovely, but I'll throw out another option -- Firostephani. It is between Fira and Imerovigli. As someone else mentioned, Imerovigli is an uphill climb and is a bit of a hike from town. Firostephani is an easy walk from Fira but is quiet and away from the crowds. We stayed at the Sun Rocks Villas and loved it. We were in room 31. My friend was so overwhelmed with the beauty of the view and our hotel, she rarely left it. www.sunrocks.gr

Krissykris-

In Oia check out Volcano's Villas, La Perla, Oia Mare, Ether Studios, Strogili Houses and the Museum Spa Hotel.

Brotherleelove, thank you.
Do you think Fira would be too noisy?
We don't really party.
I'm now considering Volcano Villas, but since this is our splurge and we want a nice pool, will this one be ok?
Anastasis was booked, it looked great! DRAT! Did you see my question about the beaches and hiking? Where should we stay to be close to those choices? We are hikers, I walked Fira to Immovigli and back no problem, two years ago sick. We also walked up from the Sea to Fira, we didn't ride on the donkeys. We don't mind stairs either. Oia sounds great, but are taxis expensive at night when we can't/don't want to walk or is there a bus? These are things I can't find out with my books.

Thank you everyone. This is so very helpful. I'll go check out sunrocks also.

There's a hiking trail between Oia and Fira and another at the beach between Perissa and Kamari. The latter passes by the archaeological site of Ancient Thera at the top of the trail.

Taxis from Oia>Fira are 10 Euro. They get scarce after midnight.

The pool at Volcano's Villas looks perfectly good to me. It might not be as large as some, but it's larger than most I've seen in the village.

Fira can be noisy if your hotel is too close to the nightlife 'hotspots', but there are plenty of hotels within easy walking distance to central Fira that are quiet. Check out Villa Ilias and Nomikos Villas.

www.villailias.gr

http://www.vacation-greece.com/hotel...nomikosvillas/

I will write a full review later, but thought this would be topical to post here. We initially tried to book with Anastasis Apartments but they were totally booked! I was determined though and emailed periodically to "re-check" in case of any cancellations and it worked --we just got back from the most amazing trip to Santorini and Anastasis Apartments was like paradise on earth.... Of course, this won't always work, but it doesn't hurt to try.... Also, if you book online they give you a 10% discount.

I have a question about the Anastasis apartments. I saw that they were listed in TripAdvisor's "Readers' Choice" survey as one of the best values in all of Europe. They sound great, but I have read some comments that they are difficult to get to from the main town of Fira and it's kind of a difficult hike. I am planning a solo trip to Greece and I'm worried about having to walk very far back to the hotel at night after dinner. I'm not that interested in "nightlife" but I don't want to stay really far from all the restaurants either.

Should I be worried about the location? Is this place mainly designed for couples and honeymooners, and will I feel out of place if I stay there by myself? Is there a better location for a single female to stay?

cheryllj-

Anastasis is about a mile uphill from Fira. This is what most people are referring to when mentioning "difficulty." There are two routes: along the main road and along a cliffside pedestrian pathway. Neither route is particularly dangerous for a solo woman. Greece is not a dangerous country for women travelling alone.

Imerovigli is nice and quiet but there aren't many restaurants there at all.

If you want easy access focus your search on Fira and Firostefani. Check Scirocco Apartments, Aigialos Hotel, Porto Fira Suites, Tzekos Villas, Villa Ilias and Blue Dolphins Apartments to start with.

Thanks, brotherleelove! Some of those look fantastic, but it's so hard to choose when I've never been there.

Question: If you had 150 euros to spend per night, where would you stay in Santorini (or recommend for a first-timer)? I don't plan to rent a car and would prefer to use public transport, although I'll consider getting a car if it's a "must" to get around. Location and view are more important than "luxury."

The Anastasis apartments are right at 150 euros a night, and I'm thinking that might be the best choice (if they're available), but not if I can get something comparable in Fira or Firostefani.

I prefer Oia over Fira and Firostefani. There are plenty of shops, some excellent restaurants, art galleries and hotels there. If you'd be satisfied with a few mellow bars for nightlife, Oia's the most beautiful and timeless village on the island. It's on the northern end, 7 miles away from everything else, a 20 minute bus ride to Fira where you'd have to go to catch buses to the rest of the island but it's by far the best place to stay, safe and wonderful.

Check Volcano's Villas, Strogili Houses, Nikos Villas, Olympic Villas, Studios Margarita, Chelidonia Villas, Nostos Apartments, Caldera Villas, Old Oia Houses, Aris Caves and the Museum Spa Hotel.

If you are a single and want to be closer to restaurants, shops ect, I would stay in Oia (or Fira, although I prefer Oia too). As we walked to Oia, we were struck by how many adorable little places there were with nice balconies and just GORGEOUS! (although they were very close together unlike AA). Anastastasis is between Fira and Oia and within walking distance to both (45 min to Fira and 2 hrs to Oia (we walked to both), but its pretty secluded (which is what I loved most about it --it was SO QUIET!!!) Mostly it was couples, I think. We rented a car one day so had no transportation issues. Also, the rooms have fridges and you can do light cooking if you don't want to go out every time you just want a snack or drink.

correction: 2-3 hours from AA to Oia... :-) depends on how fast you walk...

Just wanted to add onto this string...that I believe I started a while back! :-) We ended up staying in Esperas Traditional houses in Oia and had a the BEST time. I think its hard not to have a fabulous time on this island, but I would still recommend Esperas. The accomodations weren't that nice, but the view and the location is incredible. We would go to the little bakery in Oia in the morning and grab breakfast to bring back to our balcony (which was on a cliff that overlooked the little alcove where the ships were docked) and it was absolutely breathtaking. There is a restaurant and bar onsite at Esperas, but we never ate there and we really only drank the wine that we brought with us, which they allowed us to lay by the pool and drink. We rented a quad each day and it was a great way to get around and see the rest of the island and have fun doing it. We also ate at some of the fabulous restaurants in Oia (loved 1800) and the walk there is short and very scenic as you pass a lot of shops and a few bars. Would highly recommend staying there especially because of the service of the staff which was fantastic! They had great recommendations and made all of our reservations and rentals for us.

Hi,
We stayed at Katikie's Suites 2 years ago and it was just magnificant. Be prepared to do a bit of up and down stair walking and not for the old. Near Oia which to me is the place to stay. And so romantic!!!